Folding typewriter



0. NOACK.

FOLDING TYPEWRIT'ER.

APPLIBATIDN FILED MAR.21,1921.

- 1,4038 O. Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

N 2 SHEETS-SHEET I- Patented Jan. 17, 1 922.

2 SHEETSQSHEET 2.

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Q I Na i I k 1 N5 i at I A. k, v 5 I i Q g? I A 3mm GQNOaL/Z UNITED STATES CARL O. NOACK, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FOLDING TYPEWRITER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1'7, 1922.

Application filed March 21, 1921. Serial No. 453,863.

To all to from it may concern Be it known that I, CARL O. NoAon, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Stamford, county of Fairficld, and State of gonnecticuh'have invented new and useful improvements in FoldingTypewriters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding typewriters and particularly to a typewriter of that general construction illustrated and described in Patent No. 1,284,714 granted to Edward Krusius, on November 12, 1918.

It is the primary object and purpose of the present invention to provide an improved lever actuated back spacing mechanism for a machine of the above type, which will permit of the folding of the keyboard carrying frame upon which the back space lever is mounted, while at the same time providing-for absolute accuracy and reliability in the operation, of the back space mecha- 111SI11. 7

It is also one of the detail objects of the invention to provide simple and effective means whereby wear and lost motion consequent to the operation thereof may be compeiisated for so that the proper operation of the several cooperating parts is'at all times assured.

lVith the above and other'objects in view, the invention consists in the improved form, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as w ll be hereinafter more fully described illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated one satisfactory and desirable embodiment of the invention and in which similar referencecharacters designate corresponding .parts throughout the several views: 7

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a part of the frame-structure of the machine, showing the back spacing mechanism thereof and the lever operated connections;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1';

Figure 3 is a section taken on of Figure-1; and

Figure a is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1. 7

The main frame 5 and the keyboard carrys ing frame 6 of the machine are similar in construction, mounting and arrangement to the corresponding parts shown and dethe'line 33 scribed in a co-pending application Serial No. 453,862 for patent on folding typewriters filed of even date herewith. It will accordingly be understood that the frame section 6 is adapted to be folded from an extended horizontal position in advance of the frame section 5 to a substantially vertical inoperative position. The invention forming the subject matter of the present application is more particularly concerned with the means whereby the back space lever mounted upon the keyboard carrying frame 6 is operatively connected with and disconnected from the actuating means for the back spacing mechanism, which is mounted and ar ranged upon the rear side of the main frame 5. Therefore, I have herein shown only those parts of the machine structure which are necessary to a clear understanding of the present invention. As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the back space lever 7 is pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends a at 8 upon the pivoted foldable frame section 6. The forwardly extending portion of this lever is movable in a vertical slot 9 in the front portion of the frame section 6 and a spring 10 disposed in said slot urges the lever upwardly to its normal position. The portion of the lever extending rear wardly from the pivot 8 is formed with a plurality of angularly offset sections so that the rear end 11 of said back space lever islocated a considerable distance inwardly from the sideof the frame and adjacent to the center thereof.

The back spacing mechanism for the platen carriage which is mounted upon the rear side of the frame section 5 may be of any ordinary or approved type. As herein shown. this mechanism includes the pinion 12 which is in constant mesh with the teeth of a rack 12 fixed to the carriage 13. ratchet 1: 2 is fixed upon the shaft of the pinion l1 and with this ratchet the pawl or dog 15 en gages. This pawl ispivoted at its lower side, as shown at 16 upon the bracket 1'7.

Upon the under side of the machine frame section 5 the rock shaft 18 is journaled in suitable bearings 19 and the oscillating movement of this rock shaft in one direction is resisted by the coil spring 20. The rear end of said rock shaft is formed with the angularly extending arm 21, which is operatively connected bymeans of the link 22 to the pawl 15.

Upon the forward end of the rock shaft 18 a plate 28 is fixed, said plate extending upon relatively opposite sides of said shaft. This plate is provided adjacent to its opposite ends with the slots 24. One end of an arm is angularly offset asat 26 and thisend portion 26 of the arm is loosely engaged upon the rock shaft 18 at the inner side of' the plate Screws 27 are engaged through the slots 2iin the plate 23 and are threaded in the end portion of the arm 25.

This arm extends laterally from one side of the shaft 18 and above the plane of said shaft and overlies the rear end 11 of the back space lever 7. Preferably, though not necessarily, the lower edge of this arm 1s curved as shown. The return movement of the rock shaft 18 under the action of the spring 20 to its normal position is limited by the adjustable stop screw 28 with which the pawl 15 engages. 7

From the above description it will be seen that when the keyboard carrying frame section 6 is in its horizontal operative position,

the rear end of the back space lever 7 is engaged with the lower edge of the arm 25. Thus when the keylever 7 is depressed at its forward end the rear end thereof is elevated so that it cooperates with the arm 25 to rock the shaft 18, thus imparting movement to the pawl 15 through the link connection 22, which'i'n turn co-acts with the ratchet 1.4 to rotate the pinion 11 and move the platen carriage backwardly onestep. Upon the release ofthe lever 7 it is returned to its normal position by the spring 10 and the spring 20 then returns the parts of the actuating means for the back spacing mechanism to their normal positions as seen in Figure 3 and the arm 25 is maintained in engagement with the upper edge of the lever end 11. When the machine is to be folded and enclosed within its carrying case, the keyboard carrying frame section 6 is lifted or raised to a substantially vertical position as shown in my companion application and the lever end 11' will, therefore,be moved forwardly and away from the lower edge of the arm 25. However, immediately upon the returnof the frame section 6 to its operative position, the operating engagement between the back space lever and the arm 25 is automatically re-established.

By the provision of the adjusting means 27 for the arm 25, wear of the contacting edges of this arm and the lever end 11 may be compensated for and lost motion thus eliminated so as to insure at all times the necessary extent of movement of the parts to properly operate the back spacing mechanism. 7

It will be understood that my present invention is of general application to foldable V typewriting machines wherein the keyboard carrying frame section is foldable into compact relation with the main frame of the machine and is not necessarily limited to the particular pivotal connection between the two frame sections or by the specific locking means for the foldable frame section as dis closed in my companion application for patent hereinbefore referred to.

In the foregoing descriptionI have referred to an embodiment of the invention which I have found to give very satisfactory results in practical use. t will nevertheless be understood that various mechanical alterations may be resorted to in adapting the present device to various makes of foldable typewriting machines. Accordingly, I reserve the privilege of. adopting all such legitimate changesinthe form, proportion, and relative arrangement of the several parts as maybe fairly embodied within thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

1. In combination with a typewriter having a keyboard carrying frame foldable with respect to the main frame, and a back spacing mechanism on the main frame; means for actuating the 1 back spacing mechanism including a rock shaft mounted in the main frame and operatively connected at one end to the back spacing mechanism, a back space lever mounted in the keyboard carrying frame and an arm connected to the other end of said rock shaft and overlying the rear'endof said back space lever. V

2. In combination with-a typewriter having a keyboard carrying frame foldable with respect to the main frame, and a back spacing mechanism on the main frame; means for actuating the back spacing mechanism including a rock shaft mounted in the main frame and operatively connected at one end to the back spacing mechanism, a back space lever mounted in the keyboard carrying frame, an arm connected to the other end of the rock shaft and overlying the rear end of the back space lever and means for angularly adjusting said arm with respect to the lever.

' 3. In combination with a typewriter having a keyboard carrying frame foldable with respect to the main frame, and a back spacing mechanism on the main frame; means for actuating the back spacing mechanism including a rock shaft mounted in the main frame and operatively connected at one end to the back spacing mechanism, a back space lever mounted in the keyboard carrying frame, a plate fixed upon the other end of the rock shaft, an armloosely engaged upon the rock shaft and overlying the rear end of the back space lever and means for adjustably securing said arm to said plate, whereby the angular relation of the arm with respect to the lever may be changed.

4. In combination with a typewriter having a keyboard carrying frame foldable with respect to the main frame, and a back spacing mechanism on the main frame; means for actuating the back spacing mechanism including a rock shaftv mounted in the main frame and operatively connected at one end to the back spacing mechanism, a back space lever mounted in the keyboard carrying frame, a plate fixed upon the other end of the rock shaft, an arm extending at right angles to the back space lever and overlying the rear end thereof, and means for adj ustably securing said arm to said plate to change the angular relation of the arm with respect to said lever.

5. In combination with atypewriter hav ing a keyboard carrying frame .foldable With respect to the main frame, and a back spacing mechanism on the main frame; means for actuating the back spacing mechanism including a rock shaft mounted in the main frame and operatively connected at one end to the back spacing mechanism, a back space lever mounted in the keyboard carrying frame, a plate fixed to the other end of said rock shaft and extending upon 0pposite sides thereof, said plate having a slot therein on each side of the rock shaft, an arm loosely engaged upon the rock shaft and overlying the rear end of the back space lever and means fixed to the arm and movable in said slots for adjustably securing the arm of said plate in the desired angular relation with respect to the back space lever.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereunder.

CARL O. NOACK. 

